


Rogue: Introduction

by ShelbyPLavender



Series: Rogue [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Daredevil (TV), Iron Fist (TV), Jessica Jones (TV), Luke Cage (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: Angst, Badass, Completed, Dark, Gen, Hive, Hydra (Marvel), New chick in the Defenders, No Romance, Origin Story, Sad, Season/Series 02, powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 19:56:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12372909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShelbyPLavender/pseuds/ShelbyPLavender
Summary: Lorelei Locke's life changed when she swallowed a fish oil pill.After nearly killing her boyfriend, she takes refuge with her best friend. While straining to have a somewhat normal life, Lorelei discovers a horrifying secret that will change the lives of her and anyone that knows her.HYDRA is after her.And they won't stop until they get what they want.





	1. Prologue

Most villains thought themselves to be heroes. They thought that the path they chose was the right one, that they were the chosen ones. But then there are others who try to stop you, who stand in your way; and what choice do you have but to strike them down? Does that make you the good or the bad guy? You just killed someone who believed they were doing the right thing, but you were. Who was right? 

Lorelei Locke used to believe in black and white; there was bad and good, heroes and villains. No in-between. No gray. 

Until she transformed into the gray and almost killed her boyfriend. 

Now he was practically a zombie in a hospital, brain mushed. The thought that maybe if Lorelei hadn't stopped made her feel nauseated. What if she had killed him? 

The start of the end happened because of those stupid pills. Lorelei wished that she had never swallowed it down. Her life was slowly crumbling to pieces and there was nothing she could do but watch. 

"Lory?" her best friend asked, standing at the entrance of her house in a bathrobe. "What are you doing here so late?" 

"I need somewhere to stay," Lorelei asked, lifting her head up slowly, ignoring the freezing droplets of rain that fell on her face and dripped down her tear-stained cheeks. "I'm in trouble."


	2. One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lorelei remembers Cody.

Cody Whittle had been Lorelei Locke's first love. 

His looks weren't overly handsome; he had blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a slightly boyish face. What drew her in was his personality. Cody was someone everyone liked and respected. He was charismatic and fairly amusing when he wanted to be. 

Back then, the thought of them becoming an item was practically impossible. Lorelei was the annoying girl next door who kept to herself mostly and didn't have many friends. It was a miracle that she had Faith still after all these years. 

Cody had been dating Alexa Park, a beautiful woman who had a decent personality. Lorelei knew what an abusive relationship looked like from personal experience and she always kept an eye on the two. 

The day the sky cracked open and flooded the earth with it's tears, Cody appeared at her doorstep, so soaked that water dripped from his coat to the floor in a fairly large puddle. 

He looked up, cheeks flushed. "Lo."

"Cody," Lorelei responded. 

"Me and Alexa got in a fight again. Is it okay for me to stay here for a couple of hours - just 'till she calms down?" 

"Yeah, sure." Lorelei stepped to the side and let him in her apartment. It wasn't anything fancy, just a simple one bedroom, one bathroom. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm fine," Cody said quietly, perching on the edge of the wooden stool. 

"I'm making me a grilled cheese sandwich. I don't mind making another one." Lorelei looked at him and got four slices of bread out, deciding for him. 

She got the ingredients ready and followed the simple recipe. Once she had two gooey grilled cheese sandwiches served on a plastic plate, Lorelei set it down in front of her guest. 

Cody took a bite. "This is actually really good."

"What did you expect?" Lorelei snorted. "For me to poison it?" 

"Not a lot of people let acquaintances in their home nowadays," said Cody, eyes dark. 

Lorelei realized that he must have asked friends of his if he could stay. They had all obviously said no, or else he wouldn't be here. 

"Well," said Lorelei, "I'm not like other people, am I?" 

"No," said Cody, tone soft, "you're not." 

~

The memory reminded her of her current situation. Except this time, Lorelei was not hosting. She was intruding. 

Now she knew how Cody must've felt, walking into her apartment, invading her privacy. It felt as if her stomach was about to empty itself onto Faith's wooden floor. 

"What happened?" Faith questioned. "What sort of trouble are you in?" 

Lorelei knew that the question would pop up, she just wasn't ready for it. "Cody's in the hospital. He's in a coma and they're not sure when he'll wake up. I can't stay at his place...It makes me sick." 

"Oh God," Faith covered her mouth with her hand in shock, her brown eyes widening. "That's terrible, Lory."

Faith Boyett was many things. Curious, candid, a slight party animal, a damn good best friend. Lorelei has known these facts about her since they met in kindergarten. She knew that her friend would not be able to keep her curiosity in check for much longer, and Lorelei knew she had to come up with a plan that didn't involve revealing her powers to Faith. 

The thought of lying to her best friend nauseated her once again, but it was slightly better than the last wave. Perhaps she was getting used to her new life. 

"How did it happen?" Faith asked. 

Coming up with a lie on the spot, Lorelei replied, "The doctors won't tell me since I'm not family. His parents are flying in and his sister will come next week. I'll find out then how. I gave them the apartment, it hurt too much to be there." 

"Oh, Lory." Faith stepped towards her and Lorelei backed up instinctively. 

"Don't touch me," Lorelei whispered, squeezing her stomach anxiously. "Please, don't touch me." 

"Okay," Faith complied, confused. "I won't touch you. How about I warm up some carrot cake? Does that sound good?"

She nodded. Lorelei sat down at the kitchen table and listened to the sound of Faith working in the kitchen. Slowly, without even realizing it, she succumbed to the darkness and sailed the boat of dreams.


	3. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightmares.

Sleep brought nightmares. 

White petals covered in scarlet drops scattered across the carpeted floor. The bright flickering flame blowing out as wax dripped down onto the wooden dresser. Heat rising so much it seemed as if she would burn alive. Hearing an unpleasant noise and looking up to a face covered in veins. Blood pours from the mouth and screams are heard. 

A name. "Cody!" 

A scream. "No!" 

A call. "Something's wrong -- I-I don't know, he's bleeding!" 

A whisper. "Cody?" 

A voice. "I need help now!" 

A machine. Another voice. Another voice. Another voice. All talking to her. 

"What happened?" 

Someone's close. Move. 

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" 

"No," she whispers, "but he is." 

He's being carried away in an ambulance. 

Lorelei wakes up. Like always, she goes to the kitchen to make coffee. Once she drinks it, she does her stretches. After her routine, she eats breakfast and watches the news. 

"Remember, if you have information on an Inhuman, please call the number on the screen," the reporter informs. 

Lorelei has to remind herself that no one knows. She's careful. Long sleeves and pants are a must. Her hair is always down and she wears socks all the time, no matter what. Gloves are always on her person, as well. She may look insane covering her entire body, but the kill count is lower. 

You haven't killed anyone, Lorelei reminded herself. You are innocent until proven guilty.

Who was her judge? Herself? If so, her punishment was already chosen. 

But she liked using her powers. Now, without the mind-numbing panic that came when your boyfriend was dying right in front of you was gone, she could sense what that flash feeling she had was. 

Satisfaction. 

It was as if she just enjoyed a five-course meal; she felt a pang of satisfaction at the power that ran through her veins. In that moment of her sucking the energy dry out of Cody, she became stronger. And the feeling of becoming more powerful and dangerous was addicting. Perhaps, if her first victim had been someone she had never met and knew nothing about, Lorelei would have become a monster. Maybe if he had been a monster, Lorelei would've reasoned it as justice.

"Watching the news will do nothing except make you depressed," Faith informed her, walking into her kitchen wearing a business attire. Her heels slammed into the tile with every step she took. "You already eat?" 

"I had cereal."

"I have cereal?" Faith frowned and stared at her pantry in deep thought. 

"It was off-brand," Lorelei offered. 

"I'm good," Faith waved her off and went to the stove. She grabbed two eggs and cracked them open. Once they were in the pan, she grabbed her wooden spoon and mashed the eggs with a slight grin on her face.

When she caught Lorelei looking at her with raised eyebrows, Faith defended herself, "What? I like to get my aggression out before I go to work." 

"People still giving you trouble?"

"Yes," Faith groaned, reaching up to rub her eye but catching herself just in time. "My men colleagues like to subtly say that I'm whoring myself for promotions." Her tone was monotone, but Lorelei saw her jaw clench and knew that the situation bothered her. 

"Screw them. You're absolutely brilliant, Faith Boyett. Don't let those assholes take you down, okay? They're just jealous that a woman is kicking their asses." With each point, Lorelei raised her spoon for emphasis. 

"You know," said Faith, grinning, "I think I'm gonna like you living here. You're a good motivator. The best I know, really. You should make a career out of it. Convince kids to go to school, make adults actually act like an adult, shit like that. What's that job called where you help students?" 

"A guidance counselor?" Lorelei offered. 

"Yes! A guidance counselor. You'd be pretty good at that job." 

"I'll keep that in mind," Lorelei said, laughing at her best friend. 

Faith ate her eggs and left the apartment, leaving Lorelei there alone. Desperate to not think too much, she turned the channel and ended up watching a cartoon about two boys messing with their sister by building shit and then getting rid of it. 

"Cody?" 

No. Lorelei shook her head and focused on the screen. 

No flashbacks today.


	4. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lorelei takes a stroll through New York.

Lorelei couldn't stand it anymore. 

Being trapped in a small apartment, with nothing to do but eat, sleep, and watch TV made her want to scream. Her muscles were begging to be stretched and used properly. She had already binge-watched everything decent on Netflix and Hulu. The shampoo and conditioner Faith used smelled like pineapple; Lorelei hated it, but dealt with the unpleasant hygienic. Her personal favorite smell was the classic vanilla, as it smelt nice and wasn't too exotic. The daily routine Lorelei was now accustomed with was very simple: Wake up, eat, watch TV, nap, eat, sleep more. Next day, repeat. The lack of change made her frustrated. She saw the same walls, the same colors, the same furniture, the same food, every single day. So, Lorelei decided, it was time to step out into the public eye again. 

That was how she found herself walking through the crowded streets of New York City. Everyone was scurrying to get somewhere, listening to music, talking on the phone to somebody, and yelling harsh insults to one another as they bumped into other people. The women's high heels could be heard slamming into the ground one after the other and the men were all dressed in their suits and ties. Lorelei admired the beautiful architecture of each building and skyscraper as she explored the city, reliving the sights. 

Billboards showed ads for movies and musicals in the area. Street musicians sang and street dancers danced. There was never a lull in the continuing noise and Lorelei welcomed the distraction. As she walked past a building that appeared quite rundown, the young woman couldn't help but notice a flyer on the wall. 

DO YOU WISH TO LEARN SELF-DEFENSE?   
CALL US HERE! 

Lorelei looked at the ratty piece of paper thoughtfully. Maybe learning self-control would help her with her powers. She certainly wouldn't jump across buildings like Daredevil, but if the occasion rose when she would need to defend herself, it would be nice not relying on her powers to get out of a sticky situation. 

Lorelei took a photo of the flyer with her phone, glancing at it one more time as she continued exploring. 

She had lived in New York City for two years now, but she didn't really know much about it. Lorelei didn't know what the best place to eat was, or where the best place to buy clothes was. She was lost. 

The first thing, the woman decided, was to get a job. She had decided earlier on her walk that she would pay Faith whatever she could each month as rent. Lorelei was well aware that she was leeching her best friend for money and she didn't like it one bit. 

Even though it was daytime, a glowing neon sign caught her attention. She looked at the name of the restaurant and the for hire sign on the door. The Royal Dragon. 

Perhaps she could get a job there.


	5. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lorelei's new job.

She got the job. 

Lorelei offered to be a waitress and they agreed that she had a charismatic charm when she wanted. 

The owner's name was Phil Zhang, while the chef's was Michael Chin. They both seemed like nice people and were patiently teaching Lorelei Chinese. Mr. Zhang spoke fairly good English, but he preferred that Lorelei speak to the English speaking customers. 

The job was simple: Smile, ask what they would like to eat, serve, smile, get tipped. After working there for two weeks, Lorelei started to notice the regulars. There was Ms. Lî, a nice old woman who claimed that The Royal Dragon was the only decent Chinese restaurant in New York City. Then there was Mr. Wáng, a businessman who came for the quiet. Finally, there was Madison Smith, a young woman who did nothing but eat and stare at Lorelei. At first, she thought nothing of it. But as it continued throughout the weeks, Lorelei grew suspicious. 

"Have a nice day!" Lorelei called out to the leaving customers. When she was sure there were no lingering people in the restaurant, she flipped over the sign to the side that said closed. As usual, she cleaned up the dining room and helped Michael out in the kitchen. When she was done for good, Lorelei said her goodbyes to the two men and walked outside, immediately wrapping her thin coat tighter around her. 

She waved down a taxi and got in. Once she told the driver where to go, Lorelei allowed herself to relax a little. The cab stopped and she paid the man his money before walking to the apartment. 

Right when she was at the entrance, a hand covered her mouth. Lorelei allowed panic to kick in and turned, slipping out of the man's grasp. She then attempted to kick him away from her, but he held on to her forearm, causing her coat sleeve to rise up, exposing bare skin. Her mouth felt dry. No words could come out. Before she could warn him, he touched her skin and gasped. 

Blue veins bulged out of his face and his skin tone paled dramatically. Lorelei tried to push away from him, but he was still holding on to her remarkably. She tried to tell him to stop, but the words came out in stuttered gasps. His fingernails were digging into her skin and it made Lorelei wince. The raper, the robber, the man who tried to kidnap her, was slowly dying because of her. Desperate, she gave one last attempt to break free but failed. 

The man's eyes looked into hers, green gazing into brown, pleading for mercy. Lorelei watched as the once alive green eyes faded into nothingness. She watched silently as he fell to the ground in a pathetic heap. He wouldn't let go, she reasoned. It wasn't your fault. 

It was. 

There was a body to prove it.


	6. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn Perry

Lorelei stared at the phone. Should she call? 

The photo of the wrinkled flyer on her phone screen stared at her. Her eyes darted across the blurred words quickly and Lorelei had to zoom in to read the numbers correctly. 

If she did this, she learned self-control. If she did this, no more blood would be on her hands. 

Robby Green was a father to two boys and a loving husband. Robby Green owed money and was desperate to protect his family. Robby Green was dead and his wife was a widow. 

All because of her.

The thought of those two boys living without their father made Lorelei unbearably guilty. Her chest hurt and everywhere she looked she saw his dead body; his cold, lifeless eyes piercing her soul, accusing her. 

Lorelei made up her mind. She would call. The woman entered the numbers and let it ring. For a second, she thought that they wouldn't answer. Thankfully, a voice spoke up on the other side. 

"Perry," a stern feminine voice said. 

"Hi, I was wondering if you had any appointments available for me?" 

"When?" 

"Well," Lorelei mentally went over her schedule, "I have work all week from nine to ten. Would seven in the morning be okay?" It would be early and a pain in the ass, but she could deal with it. 

"Yes. Be on time." 

The call was over. Perry didn't talk a lot, which Lorelei didn't mind that much. It would certainly be less awkward and embarrassing for her. 

 

Mornings suck without coffee, Lorelei concluded. Her alarm hadn't woken her up and kept screeching, causing Faith to barge into her room and cuss her out for ten minutes straight. The harsh awakening knocked the woman off her regular schedule and she found herself sprinting around the place to get all her stuff ready. When she was finally prepared to go, it took forever to hail a taxi, making her even more late. 

On the ride over, Lorelei's mind couldn't help but wonder about Robby Green's family. His two sons who were probably worried sick about their father. The thought made her unconsciously compare the situation to the same one she had so many years ago. 

The overwhelming smell of whiskey, cigarettes, and self-pity were forever stuck in her brain. Nothing would be able to get rid of the stench that followed her everywhere. Now, the sight of a dead man's corpse would join the party, along with four wide, green eyes bearing into her soul, asking her why over and over again as she did everything she could to make it all go away. Then the widow crossed her mind and Lorelei faintly remembered a raven haired beauty sitting outside of an apartment building, waiting for her husband to come home, and slowly deteriorating into a walking corpse; its only purpose being to eat, sleep, and grieve. Finally, she saw a terrified little girl staring out the window, watching people pass by, each face not the one she was looking for. As time went by, the girl gave up hope. She took care of her grieving mother and neither of them spoke about him again. All of the pictures disappeared and no one asked where they went. Later, when the girl was older, she would realize that her mother had fully depended on her husband for everything. Without him, the woman didn't know what to do and relied on her young daughter for help -- even though it emotionally scarred the girl. 

Would the boys be like that? Would they give up and not look for their father, like she did? No, Lorelei concluded, they wouldn't. Those boys had a loving father, unlike her. They would grieve and sob and search every inch of New York City for their father until they found their answer. 

But they wouldn't. He was gone. 

Lorelei had made sure of it. 

She finally arrived at the place and paid the owed amount to the driver. Tentatively, Lorelei walked inside and gaped at the room. A bench sat at the entrance with a fridge next to it. The entire floor was a mat and Lorelei knew it wasn't comfortable. 

"You're late."


	7. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Work.

Evelyn Perry was a fucking badass. 

The way she delivered blows to the bag made it look like a dance instead of a fight. Lorelei watched in awe as she punched it without so much as a single struggle. 

"You wish to learn as fast as possible?" Evelyn asked, wiping the sweat off her forehead with her arm. "It'll take a couple months, five at most. By then, you should be able to handle most street attacks. Listen to everything I say and you'll be unstoppable.

"You don't have to be physically fit in order to do self-defense -- although it will help a lot. Come here, let me demonstrate what you can do in the case that there's a gun pointing at your face." Evelyn held Lorelei's covered arm up and pointed her fist toward her chest. Then, quicker than Lorelei could comprehend, the woman grabbed her fist and yanked it towards her; she jammed the hand that would be holding the gun a few centimeters away from Lorelei's throat and then slammed it right next to her face. "You would instinctively duck and I would kick you in the private or stomach, depending on the gender, and this is when you either run or point their own weapon at them. It's your choice." Evelyn released Lorelei. 

"Holy shit, that was terrifying," Lorelei wheezed. 

To her surprise, Evelyn chuckled. "That's one way to disarm an opponent; there's many different ways of course, but this is one that everyone with fast enough reflexes could do. In order to prep you for more difficult exercises, we're going to do challenges that test your reflexes. Like, this one, for example." Before Lorelei could fully process what she was doing, a thin wooden stick was being thrown to her and she instinctively made a grab for it. Unfortunately, her fingers knocked it away and she stared at the traitorous stick. 

"You're anticipating it. Stop grabbing for it every time I move my hand. Trust your instincts." Evelyn threw a stick and Lorelei scowled when her arm moved forward immediately. The stick struck her foot and she cursed softly. 

"I believe our time is up," Evelyn set down the pile of sticks that Lorelei despised and walked over to her fridge. She handed her a water bottle and Lorelei drank it greedily. The cold soothed her throat and she desperately wished that she could wear a tank top and shorts again, so she wouldn't have to go through this burning pain again. 

By the time she arrived at work, it was thirty minutes before her official shift started. She went to the restroom and changed real quick, spraying vanilla scented perfume on her sweaty skin. 

"Hello, Lorelei," Mr. Zhang greeted her in the kitchen. 

"Hey," Lorelei replied in Chinese poorly. 

Mr. Zhang chuckled. "You need work." 

Lorelei accepted defeat and set the tables. She placed menus and made sure each table had all of the sauces. When she was done, the woman flipped the sign from closed to open. While she waited for lunch hour to arrive, Lorelei swept the dining area and double checked that everything was in order. When twelve hit, people slowly started to fill the small Chinese restaurant. 

"Hello, what can I get you?" Lorelei asked regular Madison Smith. The woman's blonde hair was in a loose ponytail and her makeup was flawless as usual. She wore a nice skirt and blouse that Lorelei daydreamed of being able to wear. Instead, the woman would have to do with pants and a hoodie. If anyone asked, she would claim to be freezing. 

"I'll have the hot and sour soup," Madison said, handing Lorelei the menu. "I don't think I've tried that one before." 

Lorelei frowned. "Actually, I think you had it a couple days ago. You said you loved it." 

"Did I?" Madison huffed out a strained laugh. "I don't remember for some strange reason. I guess I'll have it again." 

"Okay." Lorelei gave Madison a strange look and went to the kitchen to tell Michael the new order. 

She found the blonde strange. Madison Smith itched Lorelei's nerves for some reason. It may be that she always stares at her, or that she had caught Madison looking at a file of some sort, and hightailed the fuck out of the restaurant when she caught Lorelei looking at the papers over her shoulder. All the woman could make out was a picture of a staff with the engraving of a snake on it. Lorelei for the life of her couldn't figure out what was so important that Madison had booked it as soon as possible. 

While in deep thought, the door chimed and roused her from daydreaming. It was Ms. Lî, but this time she had a guest with her. A teenage boy followed her awkwardly, staring at the ground. 

"Hey, Ms. Lî!" Lorelei exclaimed, handing both of them a menu and escorting them to an available table. "Who's this?" 

"This is my neighbor, Peter Parker," Ms. Lî told her, smiling warmly at the younger woman. "He helped me move some things out of my apartment today and I figured that I could buy him one of the best dinners he'll ever have for his trouble." 

Peter Parker bounced his foot on the floor nervously, switching gazes between the floor and the menu. 

"I-I'll have the orange chicken," Peter stuttered, pointing to said item on the piece of paper. The boy was so painfully awkward that Lorelei felt a bit sympathetic.

"Coming right up." She delivered the orders to Michael and waited other tables. 

Lorelei picked up Madison's hot and sour soup and gave it to her. The blonde smiled at her and continued reading whatever was in the file. The woman shook off the curiosity and continued serving plates and taking orders. When Ms. Lî and Peter Parker were done eating, Lorelei slipped the cash the old woman gave her back into her purse and paid for their meal with her own money. Peter stared at her silently while she did the innocent transaction and Lorelei only winked in return. 

Ms. Lî was a nice, old woman who brightened her day. It was about time Lorelei did the same for her.


	8. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A stalker.

New York City was pulsing with life. Street acts were setting up and vendors were already calling people over to try their food and drinks. Lorelei Locke breathed in the combined smell of grease, gasoline, and garbage that she had grown used to. She was a city girl. 

In Faith's apartment, Lorelei could peer into other apartments if she wished. There was a man with two adorable children, a young girl and her grandma, and a nice couple who took care of their adopted son. Late at night, she would watch these functional, loving families. A small pang of jealousy would hit her now and then, but Lorelei would force it away. 

Instead of hailing a taxi like she had been for the past couple of days, the young woman decided to walk. She joined the mass of people heading for work. To her right, a woman with a toddler on her hip pleaded with who Lorelei presumed to be her boss. A man next to her was ordering someone around and another in front of her was telling someone named Karen about a potential client. 

And right behind her was Madison White. Normally, Lorelei would've chalked this up to coincidence. Different destinations, same path kind of thing. Except that Lorelei took a shortcut she found yesterday and Madison followed.

That wasn't a coincidence. 

She walked slightly faster, the sound of her sneakers slamming into the concrete simultaneously merging with her heartbeat. Lorelei had suspected that something was up with the woman before, but stalking her in the streets of the concrete jungle wasn't something she could've predicted. 

Graffiti covered the walls Lorelei walked by and if there wasn't a chance of her blood joining the paint, she would've stopped and admired. The woman was sure that Madison wasn't even trying to hide her presence anymore, as her heels boomed like a war drum every time they struck the ground. 

Lorelei stepped back onto the street and felt a wave of relief wash over her. There were people around her. Madison surely couldn't hurt her with so many witnesses around. 

Perhaps this had to do with the file she saw? The spear with the snake? What could be so damn important about that weapon that she had to die? 

Finally, finally, Lorelei reached her destination. Evelyn Perry was in her sight. The black haired woman was standing outside of her studio, reading a newspaper. Lorelei practically ran to the woman and almost tripped over a crack in the sidewalk as a result. 

"Hey!" 

"Hey," Evelyn replied warily, eyebrows scrunched. "You're sweating. Did you run?" 

"Yes!" Lorelei coughed and subtly checked for Madison. She was gone. "I mean, yes. I ran." 

"Good. You need the excerise." 

"You calling me fat?" 

Evelyn didn't reply and only smirked. The woman led her into the studio and picked up the long wooden sticks Lorelei had grown to despise. 

She threw and Lorelei flinched towards it. "I hate this exercise." 

"Most people do. I find that the problem is usually yourself. You're trying to catch it whenever my arm moves. What if someone were to fake a punch towards you and you went to block, but they hurt you in another way? Read my body language. Look for the signs and grab the stick when it's in the air." 

Lorelei breathed and exhaled. She watched the stick and Evelyn's arm at the same time. As if it was in slow motion, the wood flew from her sweaty hand and into the air. Faster than the past couple of times, Lorelei grabbed it. 

"I-I did it." Lorelei grinned at the thing she used to despise. "I can't believe I did it."

"Believe that you can do it." Evelyn grabbed the stick. "But know your limits." 

Lorelei nodded. "Am I ready for a new exercise?" 

Evelyn stared at her. "I'll give you another lesson." 

"Push me," she instructed. 

"What? I don't want t-" 

"Push me!" 

Lorelei went to push her, but her hands never connected with Evelyn's body. Instead, Evelyn quickly stepped to the side and rested her hand under Lorelei's chin, raising the woman's head up at an awkward angle. 

"To take you out, I would push you down to the ground with my hand and what you do there depends on you." Evelyn guided Lorelei to the floor. "I could stomp you in the privates or the stomach. Then again, if you wanted to be really deadly, stomp on the face. If you have a weapon, bash it against their head. Do whatever you can think of at the moment." 

Evelyn ran through the practice with her a couple times before instructing her to do it. The woman attempted to push Lorelei but she sidestepped just like she had been taught and out of reflex, raised her hand to the throat for what would've been a throat punch if Evelyn hadn't caught it. 

The two women stared at each other for a couple of seconds, the dead silence strengthening the tension in the air. 

"I believe our time is up," Evelyn said quietly, releasing Lorelei's fist. 

Lorelei took a cab to work. After having time to process that Madison had been following her, the woman couldn't help but be angry. If Madison showed up at her work, Lorelei was going to lock her in the store and keep her as a hostage. Then, she would demand to know why in the living hell she was following her. Lorelei hadn't done anything to aggravate her. She hadn't told anyone about the staff, hadn't even mentioned it out loud since then.

She said hello to Michael and Mr. Zhang on her way in. Lorelei cleaned the tables, washed the dishes, set up all the menus like she always did. When she was completely done, she flipped the sign over at the opening time and waited. 

Familiar faces appeared, like Mr. Wang and Peter Parker. The woman was surprised to see the teenager around, and she didn't even have to question why he was there because he said it as soon as he came in. 

"I like the food," he had nervously said, scratching the back of his neck. 

Newcomers streamed through the front doors. A happy couple fed each other food, making Lorelei grimace. 

"Not a romancer?" Mr. Wang asked her afterward. 

"Not at all." 

But even though the restaurant was more packed than it had been for a while, Madison Smith never walked through the doors. Closing time came and Lorelei did the same ritual she had always done. 

She took the cab and relaxed on Faith's couch. 

"We need to talk." 

Lorelei jumped and turned around. Faith Boyett stood in her kitchen, holding something. Lorelei stood up to get a closer look. She had been so tired that she hadn't noticed the broken window. Since there wasn't glass on the floor, Lorelei assumed Faith must've cleaned it up. The object in her best friend's hand appeared to be a giant rock with white paint on it. 

She froze. There were words. One of the words was a name she knew. 

STAY AWAY FROM PERRY. 


	9. Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fight.

There were very few times where Lorelei felt powerless. 

When her father never came home and her mom withered away, the little girl back then didn't know what to do to make her better. Then, when Cody was dying in front of her, gasping, veins bulging out in his forehead. But this time was different. This time, it was a object instead of a person that made her feel trapped. A rock made her frozen. 

Her father, her ex-boyfriend, and a rock all shared the power of making a person completely and utterly powerless. Lorelei couldn't move, talk, or even look at anything other than the slab in Faith's hand. White paint stared at her, daring her to make the first move. 

"I can explain." Her voice was low and a pride-withering crack was heard. "Faith, let me explain." 

Lorelei knew that if she was to explain Perry, then she would have to explain why she was getting self-defense lessons. But what if she didn't have to? A thought popped up in her head and she ignored the slither of self-hatred that poured into her veins. 

Before she could tell Faith who Perry was, the woman went into a rant. "No, stop Lorelei. You've been living with me for a month now, okay? And I've known you for years. You can't fool me." With each point, Faith's voice got higher. Lorelei flinched when Faith stepped towards her, making the woman even more angry. "Whenever I try to hug you or if I even go close to you, you freak out. You act like I'm some kind of rodent that disgusts you and I'm tired of it! What's wrong with me? Am I not good enough for the great Lorelei Locke? And who the fuck is Perry?" 

Lorelei swallowed. "Something happened and since then when people touch me I... It makes me sick. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, it's a hard thing for me to talk about." Lorelei finally looked into Faith's eyes. "Perry is my self-defense teacher." 

Later, Lorelei would realize how people could interpret what she had just said. She would realize what Faith thought had happened to her. 

"Oh, Lory," Faith whispered, her eyes softening. "I-I'm sorry." She raised a foot as if she was going to step forward, but caught herself last minute. Instead, Faith stared at Lorelei with a heartbroken look and slowly shuffled back to her room. 

Confused, Lorelei nodded and sat back down on the couch. She stared at the rock on the floor, which Faith must've dropped mid-rant. The paint was dry. Faith must've waited for hours and in those hours, her emotions doubled and heightened. When Lorelei finally did come home, they must've blown up. She knew from past experiences that Faith didn't have much emotional control. Her blowing up was bound to happen eventually. 

And now Faith was in her room berating herself for not being more considerate. Lorelei felt her chest tighten up and it felt as if she couldn't breathe. Was this what guilt felt like? Is that what it felt like to have a hundred pounds of guilt on your back? 

She didn't like the feeling. 

But she would have to get used to it. 

 

\---ROGUE---

Lorelei called Evelyn the next day and told her that she wouldn't be able to make it. She could practically feel Evelyn's glare through the phone. 

Faith was nowhere to be seen and Lorelei thought that was probably for the best. She had realized what Faith thought she had meant and the guilt on her back had tripled. The woman felt as if she would carry it for eternity, every lie doubling the weight. Soon, she wouldn't be able to walk. 

Like most days, Lorelei continued her routine. She went to the restaurant and worked her shift. Like yesterday, she kept a close eye out for Madison but she never showed. This confirmed Lorelei's belief that the woman was after her. Peter Parker didn't show up like he had been for the past couple of days, but a girl did instead. Her name was Michelle and she was... interesting, to say the least. 

"How are you doing, Lorelei?" Mr. Zhang asked her randomly, when the restaurant was practically bare. 

"I'm fine." 

"Really?" Mr. Zhang leaned against the counter, staring at her with his deep, brown eyes. "You don't seem fine." 

He was right, Lorelei realized. She wasn't fine. She wasn't even sure what she had been doing exactly for the past few hours. Lorelei had been going through the motions, following the routine. The routine had been the only normal thing in her life the past month and Lorelei cherished it. It was the only constant she had and the woman wasn't about to let it go without a fight. 

"My roommate and I've been fighting," Lorelei told him. "Just feel bad." 

Mr. Zhang nodded his head slowly, as if he was in deep thought and also going through the motions. "Are you and this roommate close friends?" 

"Yeah." 

"Well, you've fought before, have you not?" 

"A lot when we were kids, really." 

"If you got through those fights, what makes you think you won't get out of this one? You've been friends for years. The most important thing I've learned in my years of friendship is distance." 

"Distance?" asked Lorelei, confused. 

"Yes, distance. When you spend too much time with a person, it itches you. It's best to give each other breaks. Privacy is someone everyone cherishes and when you crush that, well, bad things happen. Give each other some space, and when your batteries are recharged, make peace." 

"You know," Lorelei drawled, lips tugging upwards into a smile. "You're a wise man, Mr. Zhang. Should I make an appointment next time I want advice?" 

"No!" Michael Chin cried from the kitchen. "His advice is terrible, don't listen to it!" 

Lorelei giggled. "What did you do?" 

Mr. Zhang shrugged. "I may or may not have accidentally made him break up with his girlfriend." 

Her eyes widened and glanced at Michael, who was out of the kitchen now, staring daggers at his boss and close friend. 

"I want details. Now." 


	10. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HIVE.

Lorelei never considered Faith's apartment her home. 

The more she thought about it, the more the woman realized that she had never had a home. When she was young, the girl lived in a small apartment where the rent was paid with bones and blood. Now, she lived in a fancier, two bedroom apartment where no screams were heard regularly. For a brief while, Lorelei thought she had a home. Living with Cody in their shared apartment, both blissfully in love. The apartment wasn't her home, though. It had memories, yes. But the main subject of those memories was Cody. Cody used to be her home and he was gone, sitting in a hospital zombified. 

Faith's apartment was too nice for her. Her best friend had been born into a wealthy family and had the world at her fingertips. The woman was rising so fast people could barely keep up. Faith was on a mission to prove that women were just as good as men. She held campaigns, rallies, all sorts of things that Lorelei preferred to stay out of. 

Faith was lovable and nice. Lorelei was awkward and unemotional, the person no one wanted to spend their time with. They were the exact opposites, but they fit like a jigsaw puzzle. 

Lorelei Locke wasn't used to being rich and having what seemed like an unlimited bank account. She earned her pay by working hard and every single penny the woman had was due to her busting her back. Sleeping in silk sheets was so strange and foreign that it kept her awake at night. 

Almost a week has passed and nothing has changed. Madison still hasn't appeared at her job and Lorelei has given up on talking to Faith. Both women seem to be avoiding her like the plague. Because of this, she hung out with Michael and Mr. Zhang more than she had for the past few months. 

It's been two months, she realized, since she appeared on Faith's door soaked in rain. 

Someone bumped into her, spilling coffee all over her thin coat. 

"Shit!" she cried, the coffee burning her. 

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," the man told her urgently. "Did I get any on you? Are you burnt?" 

Lorelei looked at him incredulously, just noticing the glasses perched on his nose. The man was blind. "It-It's okay. I'll just change." 

"No," he told her, hands rested on the cane she hadn't noticed before, "I insist you send me the dry cleaning bill, whatever it is, I'll pay for it." 

Lorelei pursed her lips. "I'm fine, it's okay. I can live with coffee stains." And burns.

"Sorry, what's your name?" he asked, politely. 

"Oh, Lorelei Locke," the woman stuck her hand out of instinct before flinching at her stupidity. "Um, yours?" 

"Matthew Murdock." 

"Matt!" someone else exclaimed, rushing toward the pair. "Where did you go? You were there one second and then you were gone!" The man had shoulder length hair and he looked somewhat familiar to Lorelei. Maybe she had seen him before. 

"I must've gotten lost," Matthew said, a minuscule smirk gracing his features. 

"And who are you?" the man asked, hand out. 

"Lorelei Locke," she answered, shaking his hand. "Well, I have to go. So, uh, bye." She awkwardly waved goodbye to the two of them before scurrying off to the dojo. 

Right before she left, she could barely hear the man say, "How do you always know?" 

Lorelei continued walking and soon arrived at her destination. She walked into the dojo and immediately two hands were pushing her. The harsh impact of two palms colliding into her chest made her wince and when the second strike came, Lorelei dodged by stepping to the side and punched the person in the throat. 

"Good job," someone commented behind her. 

The teenage boy Lorelei had just punched lay on the ground, grasping his jaw while glaring at her. Evelyn Perry walked into her line of vision and handing the boy a decent wad of cash. He snatched it and left, grumbling under his breath along the way. 

"You paid him to get punched?" Lorelei asked incredulously. 

"I paid for him to be an example," Evelyn paused, "But yes, I guess I did pay him to get throat-punched." 

Lorelei snorted. "How much?" 

"Enough." Evelyn smiled at her, tight-lipped. "But you did it. Next, we're doing guns. The styrofoam block will represent the weapon and you will do your best to defend yourself against an attacker. For this demonstration, I guess that will be me until I can bribe another kid."

Evelyn aimed the gun at her. "Do something, Locke. Anything. What would you do?"

Lorelei took a deep breath and quickly grabbed the barrel of the gun and jammed the styrofoam weapon into Evelyn's stomach, causing the other women to fall because of the heavy impact. Her trainer got up and nodded approvingly. 

"That was good. A good hint though, grab the arm then the barrel, so if they pull the trigger, you can aim it somewhere else other than you."

By then, their time was up. Unlike the past few meetings, Evelyn walked Lorelei to the door. 

"You're learning fast, Locke. Soon, I won't be able to teach you more." 

Lorelei stepped outside and let out a harsh gasp. Evelyn frowned and stepped outside of her front doors as well. There, on her front doors, was paint. 

A lot like the rock, Lorelei realized. 

This time, there was only one word. 

HIVE.


End file.
